Improvement in refrigerating apparatus



2 SheetsSheet Z.

L. 3. WOOLFO'LK. REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 1-4,

WW W J N.PEI'ERS. PHOTOLITHOGRAFH ER, WASHINGHJNv D. C.

UNITED; STATES PATENT. OFFICE LUOIEN B. WOOLFQLK, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGVERATVING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I 7 [,204, dated December 14, 1875; application filed June19, 1s75.

the salt that it shall surround an opening in the top of the refrigerator, through which ice may be supplied to the refrigerator. The ice is forced down to its desired position in the ice'and brine holder by means of a dasher. Overflow is guarded against by means of a waste-pipe, which extends from near the bottom to near the top of the vessel, and is of such form that the cold brine will be kept at one uniform level. m

Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, represent my invention as applied to a Water-cooler, of which Fig.1 is a plan, with covers removed, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of same, taken through the center. Fig. 3 is a detached plan view of the dasher. Figs. 4 and 5, Sheet 2, represent my invention with a modification as applied to a refrigerator for cooling beer in the keg, of which Fig. 4 isa front elevation, showing a vertical section of the refrigerating apparatus. Fig. 5 is a plan with covers removed.

In the water-cooler, Figs. 1 and 2, water flows into the water-chamber through a pipe leading from a hydrant, and is drawn from it through afaucet. A is a water-cooler, of any usual construct-ion, having double walls containiug felt or other non-conducting material between them. B is the refrigerating-vessel, joined water-tight to the water-cooler A. v The refrigerating-vessel B contains the saltcompartment a, constructed of perforated sheet metal or of woven wire, and the ice-compartment b. ment, through which the ice is supplied to the refrigerating-vessel. dis a dasher, with which the ice is pushed down through the opening 0 into the ice-compartment b. O is the waste- 0 is an opening in the salt-compartpipe, which regulates the height of the brine in the refrigerating-vessel B. cape-vents in the waste-pipe C, which are stopped with corks or other stoppers. D is the water-chamber, constructed water-tight between the refrigerating-vessel B and the water-cooler A. E is the pipe through which water is supplied from the hydrant to the water chamber. F and F are faucets through which the water is drawn off from the waterchamber.

The mode of operating this apparatus is as follows: The refrigerating-vessel B being partially filled with brine, the salt-vessel is filled with salt, and the ice is supplied to the icecompartment throughthe hole 0, but the ice, having a less specific gravity than water or brine, floats init, audit is therefore necessary to push it down into the ice-compartment with the dasher 01, when, by its less specific gravity, it rises through the brine and fills the'upper part of the ice-compartment, around the salt-vessel a. l

The advantages of this construction of the salt-vessel are two-fold. Large lumps of ice may be supplied through the hole a, and the hole 0, furthermore, facilitates a series of currents in the brine, which facilitates and intensifies the cooling action of the ice and salt. The top of the Waste-pipe O is lower than the faucet F, in order that the cold brine in the refrigerating'vessel may never be on so high a level as the top of the water in the waterchamber. By this arrangement the water in the water in the water;chamber is prevented from freezing solid, it being difficult to freeze a liquid when the refrigerating-force is applied at a lower level than the top of the liquid to be cooled. The supply-pipe E enters the water-chamber at the bottom, in order that the warmer water may be introduced where its lighter specific gravity will cause it to rise through the cold water in the water-chamber,

and thus start a series of currents that will keep the water in D agitated, thereby promotingits cooling.

The faucets F and F are both necessary. The faucet- F is necessary to drain the sediment from the water-chamber D. The faucet F is necessary to allow the air to escape from the water -cha1nber, so that it may be filled e and fare es-' with water. The Water may be drawn from either faucet.

Figs. 4 and 5 represent my invention under amodificat-ion, as applied to refrigerators for cooling beer in the keg. In these figures Gris rangement is to keep the kegs moist, inasmuch as the dry air, chilled by the refrigerating-vessel, will not cool the kegs so rapidly if dry as when the outside of the kegs is damp. If desired, the ice-supply passage may be made of greater depth than is shown in the drawings, and, where desired; two such passages maybe formed in the apparatus, instead of one only.

I claim- The combination, in a refrigerating-vessel, of the salt-vessel a. having ice-passage c, the

dasher d, ice and brine holder. B, and waste pipe 0, substantially as set forth,

LUOIEN B. WOOLFOLK.

Witnesses:

O. M. JOHNSON,

(J. A. JoHNs. 

